"Is there any chance that Heimdall could be mistaken?" Thor asked, now feeling an emptiness inside due to more than just a lack of food.
"No," Lady Sif said, "I asked him that myself. It is Thanos, and he really has got one of the Infinity Gauntlets. He must be coming for Asgard."
"Asgard, Midgard, Xandar, The Collector," Loki said, propping himself up a little, "And then there are two more stones whose whereabouts we know not. We can only hope that Odin manages to find them before Thanos does."
"So he is coming for Asgard?" Thor asked.
"Just for Asgard?" Loki said, and shifted his weight, trying to get comfortable, "No brother, he's coming for the whole universe. Asgard will not be first, I'd wager Xandar shall have that reward. With the Nova Corps all but destroyed, Xandar is next to defenceless. They defeated Ronan with naught but luck."
"And some fellow calling himself the Star-Lord," Lady Sif added.
"Do we know him?" Thor asked, looking to Sif.
"It's possible we know more of him than he does," Sif replied.
"What do you mean?"
"He was born upon Midgard to a Midgardian mother," Sif explained, "But let's just say that if the father ever wants to give his support to his son, the support of the father's Empire may be enough to protect Xandar."
"Which Empire?" Thor asked.
"Just a little place called Spartax," Lady Sif replied.
Thor exhaled loudly. "So where would Thanos make his first move? Against The Collector?" Thor asked.
"Possibly," Sif said.
"We never should have given him the Aether. One of his collections have already been destroyed, and,"
"His collections are many, and vast," Loki said, "But fear not, brother. I myself do not trust The Collector, which is exactly why he can be trusted. He knows the value of the Aether, he knows what it is, and what it can do. He would rather keep it hidden, and keep it safe, than see his own guts spilled upon the floor, as Thanos will likely do when he comes. The Collector got greedy trying to get the Orb as well, and knows that. Unfortunately, that greed may have drawn Thanos's eye in his direction, but hopefully not."
Thor pursed his lips. "Should we warn the galaxy? Send word to all of the realms, tell them of what we believe to be the motives of Thanos?"
"And have Thanos attack all the sooner?" Sif asked.
"Should we move early, he may be unprepared," Thor said.
Loki laughed, "Please brother, try not to embarrass yourself. This is Thanos the Mad Titan of which we speak. I know not if Titans have the custom of giving their children names in the hope that their children follow those traits those names resemble, but if they did, I suspect Thanos's may be along the lines of 'extremely prepared' or 'ever-ready to bring war and doom amongst the cosmos'."
"I'm beginning to think I preferred you unconscious," Thor said.
"You missed me, brother."
"If you two are finished," Sif said, stopping the brothers from going off on a tangent, "We must make plans for the safety of Asgard, and if we shall move against Thanos."
"We have to tell the Warrior's Three," Loki said. "Right now. Let them make of my existence what they will, but now they must be alerted. The galaxy is too unstable. Thor is right, the sooner we make a move against Thanos, or to seek out the final Infinity Gems and the All-Father, the better. We need those gems, and though I am at pains to say it, we need that old man."
"Loki is right," Sif said, "It is past time our friends know he is here. Now that Loki is on the mend, I no longer feel right hiding him from the Warriors Three."
"Agreed," Loki said.
"Yes," Thor said, "Only before we seek out our friends, I have one more question. Does Thanos know that Heimdall has seen him? Will he know that Asgard has been alerted to his movements?"
"That was two questions, Thor."
"Shut-up, Loki."
"I would think as much," Sif said, ignoring the brothers. "Thanos would know of Heimdall's powers, that much is certain, and of his loyalties and duty to Asgard."
"So he would suspect that we would be coming for him, knowing that Asgard would not allow such a tyrant to hold a power as great as an Infinity Gauntlet," Thor said.
"See, Thor, you can be most eloquent when you put your mind to it."
Thor stood up. "Come, Lady Sif, let us find our friends, and something to break my fast."
"I would recommend suggesting that whence they come up here, you tell them to leave their weapons down below. Just for the small matter of trust-issues," Loki said.
"I would suggest, brother, you keep your mouth shut and allow the Lady Sif and I to do the explaining."
"My pleasure, Thor," Loki said lying back against the pillows. He had an idea which would help him with the reunion of friends for which he needed to collect his strength. "As there is nothing I enjoy more than listening to you try to explain something of which you barely understand."
Thor grumbled. "Get some rest. Lady Sif and I shall no doubt be some little while."
...
"Well," Loki said, late that night, "Shall you leave me to sleep in peace, or must I try to get rest whilst you nose-whistle your way through the night."
Thor and Lady Sif had spent some time with the Warriors Three explaining the situation to them, before coming to Loki's chambers. Loki had only just managed to get a shade-shield up around himself in the moments before Volstagg was to embrace him in a hug much too enthusiastic for the Prince's frail body to handle.
"I do not nose-whistle," Thor mumbled. His friends had been disappointed not to have been trusted by Thor and Sif earlier, but all the same they understood the rarity of the situation, and the danger which the cosmos now faced. They all had spent the hours of the afternoon and well into the night planning their future course of action. Once night had fallen, Heimdall had closed the Bifrost, and joined the group, adding his specialist knowledge to the situation. Thanos had disappeared once more to the dark spaces of the universe after he had possession of the Infinity Gauntlet, and was thus outside of Heimdall's vision.
"Yes you do," Loki said, his voice faulting as his body grew tired, "I can hear you."
"You could see earlier, could you not?" Thor asked, leaning forward in the chair.
Loki nodded.
"But not now?"
"No," Loki replied, "But now it is dark, both in this room and without, as I can smell no candles, nor hear the fire crackling. And I need not see your face, brother, for I know exactly what expression you are pulling."
"Was it magic?" Thor asked, feeling a new hope surging through him. They needed Loki to be well for the plan to work. He needed Loki.
"Sort of," Loki said, "It used a lot of energy. I need to sleep. But the poison is now leaving my body and my strength and sight return."
"You are using your magic to force your sight back sooner."
"I deem it more important than other functions, yes," Loki responded, "However I am going to have to start working on getting myself out of this bed."
"Then sleep," Thor said.
"That is what I was trying to do," Loki said, "Only your nose-whistling is keeping me awake."
Thor stood up. "I shall see you in the morning."
"And I you," Loki replied.
"Sleep well," Thor said. Loki could hear the repressed smile in Thor's voice.